Stocking and method of making the same



1942- c. A. KAUFMAN 2,304,052

STOCKING AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Oct. 1, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheetl ill!!! INVENTOR.

, than A-.Kawfma 'JITTORNEYS e 1, 1942- c. A. KAUFMAN 2,304,052

STOCKING AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Oct. 1, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' v MENTOR. (ha/flea. fl

HTT'ORNEYS 4 Patented Dec. 1, 1942 UNITED STATES STOCKING AND METHOD OFMAKING THE SA Charles A. Kaufm Application October 1,

12 Claims.

My present invention relates generally to a full fashioned stocking toeand the manner of its formation.

I have chosen to disclose the principles of my invention by reference tothe looped toe of the well known French foot which is knittedfullfashioned as a flat fabric and is closed at its bottom by a seamwhich runs lengthwise centrally of the bottom thereof. This reference isfor convenience of disclosure and is not intended to give rise to animplication that my invention is to be construed as limited thereby oras comprising merely improvements in this type of toe.

The full fashioned knitted toe fabric is a limp, flexible, web-likestructure which is stretchable and distortable. Because of this, thefinished toe will assume that collapsed condition into which it may orwill normally fall or into which it is put, unless it is expanded as forexample on a form or on the foot. However, when worn, the toe is forcedinto a three-dimensional conformation closed at the tip and comprising atop, a bottom, and an intermediate section which can be idealized asessentially a vertical wall encompassing the toe sides and front.

The toe of a French" foot has the characteristics that the flat fullfashioned fabric of which it is formed ends in a relatively widestraight front edge; the front edge of the toe fabric is closedwidthwise, e. g. by a looping operation which widthwise closing is inaddition to the aforementioned bottom scam; the finished toe has astraight front end which is relatively blunt in the horizontal andrelatively sharp in the vertical; the closing of the toe tip by looping,results in a horizontal ,widthwise seam in front of and at a levelapproximately midway of the thickness (vertical) of the toes; and thetoe tip is formed by bringing down the front ends of the top and thebottom of the toe to the line of this widthwise seam. The probabletheory underlying this toe construction is that the increasedflexibility at the looped length increases the facility with which andthe extent to which thelarge toe can stretch the fabric at the straightfront tip into a fit.

Looping is an added operation which delays production and adds toexpense. It is therefore one of the more-general objects of my inventionto providea manner of'closing a full fashioned toe without the added"operation of looping.

It is a further general object of my invention that fit and comfort atthe stocking toe be attained by a manner of construction that can bedescribed as tailored," in that the conformation an, New York, N. Y.

1941, Serial No. 413,088

which my stocking toe takes when expanded on the foot is normal for theresulting toe structure. This is to be distinguished from theaforementioned known practice where fabric stretching is a calculatedand necessary element of the fit.

For the attainment of these objectives, my invention contemplates thatthe toe fabric shall be knit and closed so as to reflect theseobservations I have made of the human toes; the tip of the large toe islocated close to the'longitudinal central vertical plane through theankle; since the large toe protrudes substantially forwardly beyond theother toes, its front tip can be s2 :1 to be the front of the toeassembly; this tip of the large toe tapers forwardly to ablunted roundedend; the thickness (vertical) of the tip of the large toe can beaccepted as being the thickness of the toe assembly and therefore asfixing the requirement for fit and comfort with respect to the toeheight. I

In order that my manner of attaining my aforementioned objectives may beunderstood, reference will again be made to the fact that the hithertoknown full fashioned French foot type of toe has its tip or front endrelatively wide and straight and therefore blunt in the horizontal. Inthe hitherto known French foot, this results from the fact that the toeportionof the full fashioned flat fabric from which such toe is 30formed, ends in a relatively wide front edge and the added closingoperation'such as looping. and

which in turn increases the degree to which the tip of the toe can bestretched. Such a toe is therefore characterized by a straight closingline 5 effect across and midwayof the height (thickness of the toes of awearer) and to which line the front edges of the toe top and bottom arebrought.

The closing is completed by seaming together the side or selvedge edgeof the toe fabric to give the 40 bottom seam which is so characteristicof the "French" foot. This seam terminates however at one end at theaforementioned horizonta? closing which is approximately half-way up thetoe height. t

A full fashionedtoe made in accordance with my invention will have itstip relatively narrower and therefore relatively sharper when measuredin the horizontal. 'I'his'res'ults from .the relatively narrower frontedge to the fabric from which my toe is formed and the mannerwhich Iemploy for closing the tip. I effect the closing ,fof the 'tip'of thetoe by doubling over the front edge of the fabric section about itscentral-point 'and then joining or seaming the doubled 'over halvesofthat edge. The finished toe when .wom,

will show as a result, a vertical seam centrally and to the front of thetoes. The doubling over of the front edges can be incidental to thedoubling over the toe fabric section longitudinally centrally thereof,in which event the bottom seam and aforemenioned seam closing the tipcan be performed in a single operation.

It will be observed that the seam closing the tip will be of a lengthapproximating the width of the folded front edge of the fabric.Therefore by predetermining the narrowed width of the front edge of myfiat knitted toe fabric so hereinafter.

My invention revolves about the aforementioned observations as to thedimensions and shape of the toes, and idealization of the shape and fitof the stocking toe when in encasing relation thereto, and thedisadvantages incident to the added operation of looping.

, For the attainmentof these objects and such other objects as. may hereor hereinafter be pointed out, I have illustrated applications of theprinciples of my invention, in the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows the front portion of-the fullfashioned fiat knitted footfabric, as it may appear after the completion of the knitting operation;

Figure 2 shows the fabric of Figure 1, on a somewhat enlarged scale,folded centrally of its long dimensions preparatory to seaming;

Figure 3 shows the stocking foot completed and folded fiat as it wouldappear after board- Figure 4 is a perspective view of the stocking toeon a form;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic showing of a toe, viewed bottom up, made inaccordance with the principles of my invention however somewhatconventionalized to assist in understanding the principles underlying myinvention;

Figures 6 and 8 are showings similar to Figure l of two variations ofthat embodiment;

Figures "I and 9 show the fabrics of Figures 6 and 8 respectively,doubled over, preparatory to seaming; and

Figure 10 is a. view similar to Figure 1 of another embodiment.

A full-fashioned stocking fabric and the undue stretching is a minor andincidental factor in that expanded conformation.

Figure 1 shows a full-fashioned toe fabric knit in accordance with myinvention to illustrate one manner whereby principles thereof may beapplied to the toe of the French foot type. This toe portion can beassumed to start with the end III of the instep. The remainder of thestocking foot including as it does *the instep portion A and thereinforced sole portions B shown as widening out in the usual cradlefoot formation, may be conventional.

The toe fabric is defined by the side or selvedge edges l5 and the frontedge or edge x-x and in my preferred form of Figure 1 comprises thecentral section D, the side or selvedge sections 0 (two) and theintermediate sections E (two), all in lateral relation across the widthof the fabric. The central section D and the two side or selvedgesections C each narrows progressively with the'knitting and to suchdegree that each of the three sections finally tapers to a point.

The central section D is defined between the v two symmetricallyinclined rows of narrowing marks referred to as sutures indicated at 2|.

These rows meet approximately centrally 'of the front edge X-X. The twoside or selvedge sections C are each defined on the outside by onestocking toe formed therefrom is aweb-like structure which isstretchable, distortable, limp and not form sustaining. I will thereforepremise that the showings in the various figures of the drawings aresomewhat diagrammatic, are not intended to be realistic or precise as tothe conformation which the'toe or its parts will take under anyparticular circumstances, and are primarily to assist in anunderstanding of the principles of my invention. j

The disclosure of my invention assumes that the knitted fabric of theembodiment of Figure 1 looks about as shown in that figure when it hasbeen removed from the machine and before closing, and that when the toeis worn (see Figure 4) the conformation to which it is expanded isof theselvedge edges l5 and on the inside by another row of narrowing marksindicated by 2| The intermediate sections E are each defined by sutures20 and the adjacent sutures 2i These two rows of narrowings are parallelthroughout their length and therefore the sections E will each be ofuniform width throughout it entire length and will incline toward theother with the inclination of the sutures. It will be observed that inFigure 1 the front edge of X-X of the toe fabric is comprised of thecombined widths of the two intermediate sections E, and that neither thecentral section D nor the side sections C, present a substantialcomponent in the width of that front edge x-x. This results from thefact that the knitting is controlled so that the three sections 0 and Dall taper to points at the same moment in the knitting operation.

My invention contemplates that the area of the toe fabric be sufficientto encase the toes without undue stretching and that its dimensions andshape be such as to give the desired character of fit. It alsocontemplates that the dimensions and shape of the sections be such thateach assumes its intended and predetermined position with relation: tothe toes of the wearer. For example: the section D is intended toapproximate the top of the human toes and the two selvedge sections Cseamed at 40' to approximate the bottom-0f the human toes; and thesections E seamed at 40 centrally, vertically of the tip of the toe(when on the foot of the wearer) forms what has been referred to broadlyas in effect a normal for the toe structure in that temporary verticalwall 35 at thesides and front of the toes as shown in Figure 4.

It is a feature of the preferred embodiment of Figures 1 to 4 that thewidth of each section E be made' approximately equal to the height(thickness) of the tip of the large toe. :This is subject tovariationasdesired and will for the purposes of this disclosure beassumed to be approximately 1; to /2 inch.. The two sections E in thispreferred embodiment provide a height for the stocking toe when expandedon the foot of phwetgrer which is that required by the height of In thedrawings I have attempted to differentiate between the manner in whichthe respective sections are knit by showing the wales thereof. The wales25 of the section D run parallel to the long dimension of the'fabric anddecrease in number as the section tapers; the wales 26 of the sections E(to be hereinafter referred to as gores) run parallel to its sutures;and the wales 21 of the sections C run parallel to the selvedges l5. V

The fabric of Figure 1 may be knitted on a full fashioned hosierymachine of the Cotton type, such as the Reading machine, by using theordinary two sets of narrow and wide narrowing fingers with which thesemachines are customarily equipped. These narrow and wide narrowingfingers are spaced during operation usually relatively one needlesdistance apart and by the customary action of the machine, shiftinwardly spaced knitted loops with untransferred loops, causingnarrowing marks indicated as sutures 20 and 2| to be produced, thelateral separation of which is based on the number of needles used inthe narrow fingers. The traverses of the yarn carriers conform with theaction of the wide fingers thereby causing the fabric to narrow inwidth. Y r

The fabric transferred inwardly by the narrow fingers is shown at E,whereas the fabric transferred by the wide fingers is shown at C. Theinward transferring of E and C causes the parallel sutures 20 and 2| tobe formed. This action causes section D to narrow while the usual transferring action of the wide fingers causes the width of sections C andthe width of the entire fabric likewise to diminish proportionately.

If desired, a small additional bit of fabric F, for example two or morecourses, may be knitted beyond the line XX to prevent back ravellingfrom the toe tip before seaming. This' added section F can be disposedof in any convenient manner. I prefer to seam it in during the seamingoperation. Its depth is governed by that preference. This extra fabric Fis of the width and no wider than the front edge x x of the toe fabric.I have found that if this added section F is knitted of a material suchas cotton, and particularly if it is knit tight, the likelihood of runsat this point is minimized.

The knitting and narrowing of the toe is continued until the inner edgesof the narrow fingers approximately meet at the center of the line X-X.This will cause the sutures 20 likewise approximately to meet and thesection D will have tapered to a point. The normal action of the machinewill have caused section C likewise to have narrowed proportionatelywith D and therefore each section will have tapered to an approximatepoint, suture 2| being formed during the process. The narrowing actionof the machine will then cease and the section F is knitted aspreviously mentioned.

Where the stockings are to have looped heels,

the knitted fabric may b brought to the loopers to close the heel beforethe footis seamed. For seaming, the toe of the stocking is folded on theline YY (Figure 1) with the selvedges l5 held together. seaming may bestarted at either end and continued along I5 to unite these selvedges.It will be observed that thus the two sections E joined together at 40,will form a smooth segmentary portion of the toe, well adapted to fitthe contours of the human foot and without the necessity of a loopingoperation or the presence of a line of looping.

Figure 5 is intended to demonstrate some of the broad principlesunderlying my invention and to that end the expanded toe isshown'somewhat conventionalized. The bottom (shown flat and as comprisedof the two selvedge sections C seamed at 40 tapers relatively sharply toits tip end; this is also true of the toe top (not shown in thisfigure). The toe structure is shown in this figure as completed by avertical wall comprised of the gores E joined centrally of the tipby thevertical continuation of the bottom seam 40 As the width of these goresin the preferred form of Figures 1 to 4 is predetermined to approximatethe height of the toes as hereinabove defined, this vertical wall willconsequently also be of this height and thereby when expanded as whenworn, will give a fit without requiring undue stretching of the fabric.

In the fabric of Figure l the sections C and D are shown as tapering topoints, leaving the front edge of the fabric comprised entirely of thefront edges of the gores E. I can attain the broader objects of myinvention without following this practice. fabric of Figure 6 whereinthe section C6 and D6 are left with front edges of measurable width whenthe knitting ceases and the front edge of the fabric. is comprised notonly of the front edges of the two gores but also of the front edges ofthe two selvedge sections C6 (measured on each side from X6 to M6) andalso of the front edge of the central section D6 (measured from N6 onone side of the central point Z6 to N6 on the other side). It will beobserved here that the front edges of the two selvedge sections C are ofthe same width and together equal the width of the front edge of thecentral section D6.

The fabric of Figure 6 may if desired be knitted as by the apparatussuggested hereinabove for the making of the fabric of Figure 1, exceptthat the narrow fingers have fewer points. This will reduce the numberof the wales 266 in the gores E6, narrow the spacing of. the twoparallel inclined rows of sutures 256 and 266, and thereby narrow thewidth of these gores so that when the knitting operation ceases thesections C and D will not have tapered to points as is the case in thefabric of Figure 1. This will leave untransferred, and terminating inopen loops at the front edge of the fabric, those wales 216 of thesections C6 which end between X6 and-M6 and those wales 256 of thesection D6 which end between the points N6 and N6.

Figure 8 is another exemplification of the practice of Figure 6, whereinhowever, gores E6 are shown each as tapered at its front end to adiamond point P located midway between the central point Z6 of the frontedge of the toe fabric "and one or the other of the outer end points X6thereof. As a. result, the front edge of the fabric of Figure 8 iscomprised one-half of the front edges of the. two selvedge sections G6which again are of equal width and onehalf of the front edge of thecentral section D6. The knitting of the diamond points can be effectedin the well known manner now in use or in any other preferred or desiredmanner. As the fabric of this Figure 8 differs from-that of Figure 6only in these aforementioned respects, the same reference characters,however primed, have been applied to the parts in Figure 8 as to thecorresponding parts in Figure 6 and the disclosure as to details made ofFigure 6 will otherwise applyalso to Figure 8. w

The embodiments thus far described exemplify This I will exemplify bythe applications of the broad principles of my invention. Eachdiscloses; (a) a toe fabric section,'wherein the rows of suturesincident to full fashioning, terminate in the front edge of the fabricsection; and a .width to the front edge which is predeterminedly reducedas aforementioned; (b) a manner of closing the tip of the toe whichcomprises doubling over the front edge about its central point andfthenjoining its two halves. This may be done by seaming and in one practiceby a seam which is continuous with the bottom seam; (c) a finished toewhich, when expanded on the foot of the wearer, has its tip end, whenmeasured in the horizontal, relatively narrower, i. e., less blunt andwhen measured in the vertical, relatively more blunt; and has itscorresponding rows of sutures in end to end alignment and extendingcontinuously around the tip of the toe, to which therefore thefashioning is extended; and has its gores and their wales joined in 'endto end alignment and runcidental factor, undue stretching anddistortion.

of the fabric.

The broad objects of my invention can be attained equally *wellby a toefabric which .is knitted without gores and therefore with but the tworows of sutures which define the central section. Such fabric can beknitted in any preferred manner as by use of the'single narrowingfingers with which knitting machines are or may be equipped. Figure ofthe drawings is an example of such a fabric wherein the two rows ofnarrowing marks which define the central section Dlil inclined to meetat ZN centrally of the front edge of the toe fabric to leave selvedgesection EIO whose width has been increased so that the front edge of thetoe fabric (measured from X"! to XIO) is comprised entirely of the frontedges of these two widened selvedge sections. It is the omission of thegores and the correspondingly increased width of the selvedge sectionswhich differentiates the fabric of Figure 10 from that of Figure 1.

Increasing the width of the central section so that the front edge ofthe fabric is comprised entirely of the front edge of the centralsection is another example. Between the extreme of these two examples isa range of variations wherein the central and selvedge sections willboth have been increased and wherein the front edge of the fabricsection will be comprised of the front edges of all three sections,however, in proportions that are dependent upon the spacing of the rowsof sutures.

These embodiments wherein the toe fabric is knitted without gores areexamples of applications of my invention wherein the toe fabricsections. a manner of closing, and stocking toes have the samecharacteristics as those set forth hereinabove of the other embodiments,except as to those which depend upon and result from the presence ofgores.

In the exempliflcations of Figures 1 and 10, the central section isshown as tapering at a uniform rate throughout its length and as termi-75 hating in an and illustrated as relatively sharp. In actual practice,it will be found desirable to round or broaden this end to conform-it tothe general contours of the human foot. This can be effected withoutdeparting from the principles of my invention, as for example bychangingthe rate of narrowing.

In the disclosure of the embodiment of Figure 1, reference is made tothe extra section F knitted 10 to prevent back ravelling and whichisfllustrated also in the other embodiments- To avoid needlessrepetition, the disclosure thereof made as to Figure 1 is availed of forthese other embodiments. i

The reference made herein to sections of the toe fabric tapering to apoint" is not to be construed laterally in a mathematical sense. Fromthe standpoint of my invention, a width, even though measurable, can beconsidered'apoint where it is so small that it does not affect myinvention as herein disclosed.

Wherever reference is made herein to a row of sutures, it is understoodthat the reference is to a row of narrowing marks incident to full fash5 ioning.

It will be understood that illustrated embodiments are merely exemplaryand that my invention is susceptible of practical application in otherways than those herein disclosed.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A full fashioned flat knitted toe forming fabric section whichnarrows in the direction of 5 its front edge and comprising a centralsection,

two selvedge sections and a gore between the central section and each ofthe selvedge sections, and inclined rows of sutures which delimit thesesections and define the gores, said rows of sutures 40 being parallelthroughout their length and being continued to this front edge, and thefront edge of the fabric section being comprised entirely of the frontedges of the gores.

2. The process of forming a full fashioned toe,

4 said process comprising knitting a fiat selvedged fabric fullfashioned and narrowing in the direction of its front edge with inclinedrows of sutures incident to the fashioning, said rows extending to andmeeting at the central point of the front edge; doubling over the fabriclengthwise through the aforementioned central point and then closing thetip of the toe by joining the doubled over halves of the front edge withthe rows of sutures in extended end to end alignment whereby when thetoe is expanded as on the foot of a wearer, the said rows of sutureswill run continuously around the toe tip.

3. The process of forming a full fashioned toe. said process comprisingknitting the fabric fiat and full fashioned and with selvedges with thefabric narrowing in the direction of its front edge and with the rows ofsutures incident to the fashioning extending to the front edge, andterminating therein at spaced apart points.

doubling over. the fabric centrally of its length through the centralpoint of the front edge and then closing the tip of the toe by joiningthe doubled over halves of the front edge with the rows of sutures inextended end to end alignment when the'toe is expanded as on the foot ofthe wearer, the rows of sutures will extend continuously around the tipthereof. I Y,

4. The process of forming a full fashioned toe which comprises thestepor steps of knitting a selvedged fabric full fashioned andnarrowingin the direction of its front edge, the knitting being such as to causethe fabric to comprise a central section two selvedge sections and twogores with the gores positioned respectively between the central sectionand one or the other of the selvedge sections, and the rows of sutureswhich delimit these gores being continued to the front edge of thefabric section and of then said process comprising knitting a flatselvedged fabric which narrows in the direction of its frontfabric'lengthwise through the central point of doubling over the fabricsection lengthwise 5. The process of forming a full fashioned toe whichcomprises the step or steps of knitting a selvedge fabric full fashionedand narrowing in the direction of its front edge, the knitting beingsuch as to cause the fabric to comprise a central section two selvedgesections and two gores positioned respectively between the centralsection and one or the other of the selvedge sections, the rows ofsutures which delimit the gores being continued to the front edges ofthe fabric section and being so spaced from each other that the frontedge of the fabric section is comprised entirely of the front edges ofsaid gores and then doubling over the fabric section lengthwise throughthe central point of'said front edge and then closing the tip of the toeby joining the doubled over halves of the front edge whereby the twogores and the corresponding rows of sutures are brought into end to endextended relation so as to cause them to run continuously around the tipof the toe.

6. The process of forming a full fashioned toe which comprises the stepor steps of knitting a selvedged fabric full fashioned and narrowing inthe direction of its front edge, the knitting being such as to cause thefabric to comprise a central section,,two selvedge sections and twogores positioned respectively between the central section and one or theother of the selvedge sections, and the rows of sutures which delimitthe gores being continued to the front edge of the fabric section andbeing .so spaced from each other that the front edge of the fabricsection is comprised of the front edges of all five sections and thendoubling over the fabric section lengthwise through the central point ofsaid front edge and.

then closing the tip of the toe by joining the doubled over halves ofthe front edge whereby the two gores and the corresponding rows ofsutures are brought into end to end extended relation so as to causethem to run continuously around the tip of the toe.

7. The process of forming a full toe.

saidfront edge and then closing the tip of the toe by joining thedoubled over halves of the front edge whereby the rows of sutures willbe in extended end to end alignment and will run continuously around thetip of the toe when expanded as on the foot of a wearer.

8. A full fashioned stocking toe formed from a flat knitted fabric, thetoe being closed at its tip and bottom entirely by a single continuousseam.

9. A full fashioned stocking toe formed from a flat knitted fabricsection, said toe being closed at its tip end by a seam running from thecentral point of the front edge of the fabric section and connecting thedoubled over halves of that edge and running relatively verticallycentrally of the tip of the 'toe when the stocking is expanded on thefoot of the wearer, the rows of sutures incident to fashioning beingconnected in end to end extended relation so as to runcontinuously'around the tip of the toe.

10. A full fashioned stocking toe formed from a flat knitted fabric,said toe when expanded on the foot of a wearer having a top and a bottomand a wall which extends about its tip and connects the top and bottom,said wall comprising two gores each of uniform width throughout itslength with the gores joined in extended end to end relation by a seamwhich runs vertically centrally of the tip.

11. A full-fashioned stocking toe formed from a flat knitted fabric,said toe when expanded on the foot of a. wearer having atop and a bottomand a wall which extends about its tip and connects the top and thebottom, said wall comprising two gores each of uniform width throughoutits length with the gores joined in extended end to end relation by aseam which runs vertically centrally of the tip, the width of the goresbeing approximately equal to the length of said seam.

12. A full fashioned stocking toe formed from a flat knitted fabric,said toe when expanded on the foot of a wearer having a top and a bottomand a wall which extends about its tip and connects the top and thebottom, said wall comprising two gores each of uniform width throughoutits length with the gores joined in extended end to end relation by aseam which runs vertically centrally of the tip, the width of said goresbeing less than the length of said seam.

CHARLES A. KAUFMAN.

